Shepard Principal Says Video Shows Bus Driver Hitting Student

COLUMBIA - An email from Shepard Elementary School Principal Jacquie Ward said the school received a report last week that a driver hit one of the school's students. It goes on to say school administrators watched surveillance tape and they said it revealed the driver of bus 17 hit one of the kids across the face with a bus route list.

Columbia Police arrested Robert Harris Briad, 55, on third-degree assault charges. He was released with a summons to appear.

Columbia Public Schools spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said CPS was notified of the incident last Friday and put in the request to remove the driver from the route immediately.

Baumstark said the district's Safety and Security department notified her that the driver was arrested Tuesday morning.

The mother of the student involved in the incident said the bus driver physically abused her child with a wad of paper. She also said her son was verbally abused by the driver as well.

KOMU 8 News has requested the surveillance video, but it has not yet been released.